messier left after the rangers signed both skrudland and keene. i doubt the rangers would have signed either player if messier would have gone. i remember when the rangers skated off the ice that saturday afternoon in philly thinking "we will win the cup next year"

messier left after the rangers signed both skrudland and keene. i doubt the rangers would have signed either player if messier would have gone. i remember when the rangers skated off the ice that saturday afternoon in philly thinking "we will win the cup next year"

jesus was i wrong :lol

Well that was the whole thing. Messier left, the Avs matched the Sakic offer sheet (something I truly believe NS never thought would happen), and then he went out and got Keane and Skrudland and decided that the Rangers would trap. Mix in the fact that the farm system was thin and it was pretty evident it was time to start over.

But it was not just the Rangers, the Devils had just won a Cup (on their way to more) and the Flyers looked like a team that was on the verge of being a Cup contender (and Lindros was brilliant.) The Rangers did it a bit with smoke and mirrors during that run and it gave them a false sense of being a solid, relevant team.

Dammit, what the hell? Why didnt they tell us in advance this was coming on? I actually remember 1997 and would like to see all those playoff games. 96/97 is the year i really started watching everything, at 7-8 years old.

Dammit, what the hell? Why didnt they tell us in advance this was coming on? I actually remember 1997 and would like to see all those playoff games. 96/97 is the year i really started watching everything, at 7-8 years old.

Wow, that's interesting. I rememer '94 like it was yesterday (I was in my senior year of HS) but I don't really remember 96/97 as clearly because I was in California in college. So its was great to see those games again.

Well that was the whole thing. Messier left, the Avs matched the Sakic offer sheet (something I truly believe NS never thought would happen), and then he went out and got Keane and Skrudland and decided that the Rangers would trap. Mix in the fact that the farm system was thin and it was pretty evident it was time to start over.

But it was not just the Rangers, the Devils had just won a Cup (on their way to more) and the Flyers looked like a team that was on the verge of being a Cup contender (and Lindros was brilliant.) The Rangers did it a bit with smoke and mirrors during that run and it gave them a false sense of being a solid, relevant team.

From what I remember, Keane and Skrudland were signed before Messier's decision to go to Vancouver occurred. The reaction to those signings were that they were solidifying a checking line with Bill Berg and that the Messier re-signing was inevitable. I forget who was on the radio, but they stated something like the Rangres wouldn't sign these two if they did not intend on signing Messier. (We would later find out that Checketts and Smith had other plans).

Then, the Messier to Vancouver event, began to unfold. Neil Smith went after Sakic after Messier left.

About a week before the season, we acquired LaFontaine, who's career was ended by Keane when they accidentially colided.

didn't Healy come in for a significant amount of play as Richter was injured? And Ram had one shot, against the Avs I believe, and turned away 11 shots and Coli stuck with Healy to the point of over-working a back-up? Also, the series were interesting. I beleive Dallas Eakins was a cog, and Graves played on a line with him, and I believe Langdon. That was essentially a checking line as Sunny's forearm was broken by MacLean. Further, Mess had lost it, as he was hurt much of the season, although he played through most of it and Kovy tore his ACL against Tampa behind the net. Man did that suck. He was almost ready to come back too. Had the Rangers won a game against Philly, he may've been on his way. TGO had a great playoffs, as did Tik (I remember that rocket of a shot that hit the camera inside the goal against the Cats, which was reviewed as only Tik knew it went in). And that was the last playoff series in which we've gotten to see the Rangers.

didn't Healy come in for a significant amount of play as Richter was injured? And Ram had one shot, against the Avs I believe, and turned away 11 shots and Coli stuck with Healy to the point of over-working a back-up? Also, the series were interesting. I beleive Dallas Eakins was a cog, and Graves played on a line with him, and I believe Langdon. That was essentially a checking line as Sunny's forearm was broken by MacLean. Further, Mess had lost it, as he was hurt much of the season, although he played through most of it and Kovy tore his ACL against Tampa behind the net. Man did that suck. He was almost ready to come back too. Had the Rangers won a game against Philly, he may've been on his way. TGO had a great playoffs, as did Tik (I remember that rocket of a shot that hit the camera inside the goal against the Cats, which was reviewed as only Tik knew it went in). And that was the last playoff series in which we've gotten to see the Rangers.

That goal by Tikkanen and that game is what made hockey stick for me. I went absoutley nuts. 8th birthday was coming up I think.. I'll be 16 this march so I guess I was 8 then.